1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a gradient coil system and a magnetic resonance device with such a gradient coil system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Magnetic resonance technology is a known technology for, among other things, acquiring images of the inside of a body of an examination subject. In a magnetic resonance device, rapidly switched gradient fields that are generated by a gradient coil system are superimposed on a static basic magnetic field that is generated by a basic field magnet. The magnetic resonance device also has a radio-frequency system that emits radio-frequency signals into the examination subject to excite magnetic resonance signals and acquires the excited magnetic resonance signals, on the basis of which magnetic resonance images are generated.
For example, an assembly for a gradient coil system shaped like a hollow cylinder with shielding coils is described in German OS 197 22 211. The gradient coil system thereby comprises from the inside out the following elements, that are fashioned in hollow-cylindrical regions arranged concentric to one another: a first transversal gradient coil, a second transversal gradient coil, a first coolant device, a longitudinal gradient coil, a shim assembly group, a second coolant device, a longitudinal shielding coil, a first transversal shielding coil, and a second transversal shielding coil. These elements are encapsulated in an opening of the gradient coil system.
A magnetic resonance device is known from German OS 197 22 481 in which a basic field magnet has a first surface and a gradient coil system has a second surface, the surfaces facing one another being separated from one another, and a noise reduction device is arranged in contact with both surfaces to damp the oscillations of the gradient coil system and/or to stiffen or reinforce the gradient coil system. In an embodiment, to form a closed, sealed space between the two surfaces, the noise reduction device has suitable seals, this space being filled with sand, foam, a fluid under pressure, or other oscillation-damping and/or stiffening materials. In another embodiment, the noise reduction device has a number of cushions that can be filled with one of the aforementioned materials. In another embodiment, in a basic field magnet having a cylindrical, hollow opening, in which a hollow-cylindrical gradient coil system is arranged, the noise reduction device is formed by wedges that are distributed between the two surfaces.
A magnetic resonance device with a gradient coil system is known from German OS 101 56 770, in which an electrically conductive structure is arranged and fashioned such that a magnetic field of the structure caused by a gradient field by induction is similar to the gradient field, at least within the imaging volume of the magnetic resonance device. In an embodiment, a part of the structure is fashioned substantially barrel-shaped as a component of the basic field magnet. Among other things, the gradient coil system can be fashioned without shielding coils, since the undesired consequences of the switched gradient fields, due to the similarity of the magnetic field caused by the structure, can be completely controlled by a pre-emphasis (pre-distortion/deformation).